Calangute became a traveler’s cliché in the '60s and early'70s. It was the hippies who discovered the pristine surroundings and blissful serenity and golden sands. The hippies also spread the word around and brought hordes of European tourists. Decades later, tourists still trudge down the dusty, weather-beaten roads in search of that idyllic coastal Goa. 

Fun in the sun, sand and sea along with great opportunities for feasting on fresh seafood and feni is what a day on the Calangute beach essentially means. Frolicking families, eager hands making sand castles, colorful crowds surging towards the sea, hippies busy remembering the good old times and the young and old alike lazing on the golden sands are some of the images that characterize this Queen of Beaches. This picture of a perfect tourist haven is completed with shacks and stalls under the shade of palm trees selling everything from fried prawns and beer to trinkets made of seashells. The rainbow hued canvas of Calangute has welcomed everyone to it always though it became popular across the globe only after the hippies discovered it in the ‘60s.

As the vast traffic on the Chogm road reaches the village, the over 400 old Church of St Alex greets with its two towers and a magnificent dome gracing the façade. The inside of the church is a display of the line and beauty of its architectural style and ornate altars.

There are a lot of activities you can do on Calangute Beach; Para sailing, windsurfing, wave surfing, Kite Surfing, jet skying, play volleyball on the beach, Frisbee, football or just have a massage on the beach for a fraction of the price it is in western countries. 

Thanks to the droves of predominantly European package tourists who stay here, Calangute's and Baga's nightlife is the liveliest in the area. Because of the stiff competition, prices are generally reasonable.